GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME EVERYONE, TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
[Landmark Commission on October 2, 2023.]
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TODAY IS MONDAY, OCTOBER 2ND, AND THE TIME IS 4:00.LET'S CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER WITH ATTENDANCE.
OKAY. NEXT CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH ANY OF OUR CASES TODAY? NO. NO.
OKAY. NEXT ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.
WE TALKED ABOUT MOVING THAT SINCE CONNIE THE CHAIRPERSON IS NOT HERE.
RIGHT. SO, WE'LL JUST PUT THAT ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR SEPTEMBER 18TH MEETING.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES? NO. OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL ADOPT THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON ANY ITEMS? DID WE GET ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT WAS RECEIVED.
GETTING STARTED WITH NEW BUSINESS AND ASSOCIATED PUBLIC HEARINGS.
OUR FIRST IS A RECOMMENDATION REQUEST FOR DESIGNATION AS A GALVESTON LANDMARK CASE.
AS STATED, THIS WOULD BE A LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR THAT ADDRESS.
THERE WERE 32 PUBLIC NOTICES SENT AND NONE OF THOSE WERE RETURNED.
SO, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A DESIGNATION ABOVE REFERENCE ADDRESS AS A GALVESTON LANDMARK.
THE ORIGINAL HOUSE WAS FRAMED IN VIRGINIA AND SHIPPED TO GALVESTON AS WELL.
BUT BY 1847, THE CITY HAD BUILT THE NEW RESIDENCE ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE, LOT 1820 FIRST STREET AND AVENUE M ALTOGETHER, THE OWNERS HAD SEVEN CHILDREN, TWO SONS AND FIVE DAUGHTERS.
JOHN SYDNOR WAS A GALVESTON BUSINESS OWNER, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND PUBLIC SERVANT.
HE WAS ONE OF THE CITY ALDERMEN AND SERVED AS MAYOR OF GALVESTON FROM 1846 TO 1847.
ON THE JS SYDNOR AND COMPANY AUCTION, HOUSE AND COMMISSION HOUSE AND REAL ESTATE OFFICE, AMONG HIS OTHER ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN THE COAST GUARD AND BUILT TWO STEAMBOATS TO TRANSPORT COTTON IN 1843.
AND HE'S BURIED IN THE OLEANDER CEMETERY ON BROADWAY.
AND WHEN A NEW ORPHANAGE WAS PLANNED IN 1893, THE ORIGINAL MANSION WAS PURCHASED BY CAROLINE WILLIS LADD AND DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS WITH HELP OF ARCHITECT WILLIAM TYNDALL. SO, THE MAIN SECTION WAS RELOCATED AT 3427 AVENUE O.
A SECOND SECTION WAS RELOCATED TO AVENUE O AND A HALF AND THEN LATER TO 2222 35TH.
CAROLINE WILLIS LADD, OF COURSE, WAS THE DAUGHTER OF GALVESTON MERCHANT PETER JAMES WILLIS AND CAROLINE WILLIS AND NIECE TO NARCISSA WORSHAM WILLIS, WHO BUILT THE WILLIS MOODY MANSION AT 2618.
BROADWAY AND THE WILLIS MAUSOLEUM FAMILY PLOT ARE ALSO IN THE BROADWAY CEMETERY.
A NUMBER OF PROMINENT GALVESTON FAMILIES OWNED THE PROPERTY AFTER 1899, ENDING WITH THE CURRENT OWNER OF THE GALVESTON GARDEN CLUB IN 1965, WHO THEY ALSO BEGAN SIGNIFICANT RESTORATION PROJECT ON THE BUILDING IN THE 1980S.
IT'S PART OF THE 1935 HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH NUMEROUS NOTEWORTHY GALVESTON FAMILIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL KNOWN IN WEALTH AND ADDITION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS PROVIDED IN THE APPLICANT'S EXTENSIVE NARRATIVE.
HOUSE IS ALSO ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES SINCE 1975.
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AND OF COURSE, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST WITH THE STANDARD CONDITION OF THE STAFF REPORT.AND HERE WE ARE, THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH, TO THE SOUTH AND TO THE WEST.
AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT.
DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NANCY DOES. GO AHEAD, NANCY.
YEAH, I JUST THOUGHT THAT THE APPLICATION ITSELF WAS MISSING SOME CRITICAL INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER APPLICATION FROM 1975, AND I WONDERED IF THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THE NARRATIVE.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS IT WAS A SLAVE AUCTION LOCATION AND ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION.
AND THAT I THINK IS SIGNIFICANT.
AND. I GUESS I FOUND THE PRESENTATION OF FROM THE APPLICANT TO BE INTERESTING, BUT MAYBE NOT AS COMPLETE AS IT COULD BE.
WE CAN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CASE 23 LC 041.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE? AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM? YOU COULD SIGN IN ON THE SHEET AND STATE YOUR NAME.
MY NAME IS JENNY ADAMS. VIRGINIA ADAMS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GALVESTON GARDEN CLUB.
AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THE POWHATAN HOUSE.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THAT WAS NOT ACTUALLY THE PLACE WHERE THE SLAVE MARKET WAS.
SIDNER DID HAVE THE SLAVE MARKET, AND I THINK THAT WAS WHERE THE EAST END COTTAGES NOW IS.
FROM WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, WHERE THE SLAVE MARKET WAS.
OUR MAIN REASON FOR WANTING TO GET THE LANDMARK IS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE OTHER TWO.
BUT THE CITY, Y'ALL ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY HAVE THE TEETH AND CAN PROTECT THE PROPERTY.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT THAT THE NATIONAL REGISTRY CAN DO OR THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE HOUSE KEEPS ITS ORIGINAL WINDOWS AND, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T GET CRAZY THINGS HAPPEN TO IT AND HELPS PROTECT IT FROM BEING BULLDOZED.
AND THAT'S OUR MAIN REASON FOR ASKING FOR THE DESIGNATION.
NOW, WE ACTUALLY KNOW YOU ALL HAVE THE TEETH.
OKAY. SO, ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? NO. OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NO. OKAY.
I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR A MOTION FROM THE COMMISSION.
GO AHEAD. SHARON ON ITEM 23 LC 041, I MAKE A MOTION.
WE APPROVE WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
OKAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NO. OKAY.
TAKE A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE CASE 23 LC ZERO 4 TO 3716 AVENUE O AND A HALF.
ALL RIGHTY. ONCE AGAIN, ANOTHER LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THIS WERE THERE WERE 32 PUBLIC NOTICES SENT.
SO, THIS IS WE'LL START WITH THE ORIGINALLY FROM NORTH CAROLINA THE FIRST THE FIRST OWNER WAS THOMAS AND BESSIE KIRK HAD THIS TWO-STOREY L-PLAN QUEEN ANNE STYLE HOUSE BUILT IN 1899.
THOMAS KIRK WAS AN EDUCATOR AND SERVED AS PRINCIPAL OF DENVER RESURVEY SCHOOL CAMPUS.
AND AFTER TEACHING IN HOUSTON AND WACO, BESSIE WAS A DAUGHTER OF DR.
THEY ORIGINALLY MOVED TO DALLAS, NORTH CAROLINA.
THE HOUSE WAS DESIGNED BY CHARLES BULGER.
HE WAS WELL KNOWN HISTORICALLY IN GALVESTON AS A BUILDER.
HIS FIRST KNOWN CONTRACT JOB WAS BUILDING A FLOUR MILL IN KANSAS BEFORE HE CAME TO GALVESTON, WORKED WITH PARTNER ISAAC HAMILTON RAPP IN TRINIDAD, COLORADO, AS WELL, BEFORE RELOCATING TO GALVESTON.
HIS FIRST COMMISSION IN GALVESTON WAS THE YMCA BUILDING AT 23RD, AND WINNIE AND ANOTHER GALVESTON MAJOR GALVESTON PROJECT WAS THE S LEVEE BUILDING AT 2221 MARKET, AMONG NUMEROUS OTHER THINGS, INCLUDING RESIDENCES.
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IN GALVESTON.THE HOUSE AND THE KIRK FAMILY ENDURED THE 1900 STORM.
THE KIRK'S RELOCATED TO FLORIDA SHORTLY AFTER, THOUGH, AND THE HOUSE WAS SOLD TO A TELEPHONE LINEMAN NAMED THOMAS KNIGHT, WHO OWNED IT ONLY BRIEFLY AFTER KNIGHT, THE HOUSE WAS OWNED BY HAROLD AND MAUDE ROBINSON, WHO OWNED THE HOUSE FOR THE NEXT 69 YEARS.
ORIGINALLY FROM ENGLAND, HAROLD WAS EDUCATED IN ENGLAND AND MOVED TO THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES.
BY 1886, MARRIED KANSAS NATIVE NETTIE MAUDE BRAGONIER.
I'M SURE I DIDN'T PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT.
HOPEFULLY THE APPLICANT WILL CORRECT ME.
AFTER THE 1900 STORM DESTROYED THE HOUSE, THEIR HOUSE AT 2327 AVENUE O.
THEY MOVED BACK TO KANSAS UNTIL 1901, WHEN THIS THE CURRENT HOUSE WAS BUILT.
THE ROBINSONS WERE ACTIVE MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY, PART OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, AND MAUDE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE GALVESTON YWCA, FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE ALAMO SCHOOL MOTHERS CLUB, MEMBER OF THE GALVESTON COUNTY, ANTI.
TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATION, DAUGHTER OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, ALSO THE RED CROSS.
PLANNING COMMISSION WILL HEAR THE REQUEST ON OCTOBER 3RD MEETING.
AND OF COURSE, CITY COUNCIL HAS A FINAL DECISION AND WILL CONSIDER THIS AT THE OCTOBER 26TH MEETING.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH STANDARD CONDITION ONE IN THE STAFF REPORT, AND WE HAVE SOME PHOTOS.
SO HERE WE HAVE THE HOUSE AS IT APPEARS TODAY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND HERE WE HAVE THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST, TO THE SOUTH, TO THE WEST.
A HISTORIC PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT'S NARRATIVE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DETAILS HAVE NOT CHANGED TERRIBLY MUCH.
THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT.
DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NO. OKAY.
WE CAN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CASE 23 LC 042.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE? AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM? TALK ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY? YOU. COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND SIGN IN, PLEASE? NANCY AUSTIN FATHERING.
AND MY HUSBAND AND I ARE THE CURRENT OWNERS OF THIS HOME.
SHE'S A LANDMARK TO US NO MATTER WHAT.
BUT WE'VE REALLY HAD A GREAT TIME THE LAST THREE YEARS TRYING TO GET HER RESTORE HER, AND IT JUST WOULD MEAN A LOT TO MY FAMILY.
THEY RENTED A HOUSE AFTER COMING BACK FROM TOPEKA AFTER THE STORM.
WE BOUGHT HER BACK THREE YEARS AGO AND SO SHE'S BACK IN THE FAMILY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? NO. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? IN THE AUDIENCE? NO. OKAY.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR A MOTION FROM THE COMMISSION.
23 LC 042 THAT WE APPROVE WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SHARON SECONDS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NO. OKAY, LET'S VOTE THEN.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A DESIGNATION AS A GALVESTON LANDMARK.
FIVE RETURNED. THOSE FIVE IN FAVOR.
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THE EARLIEST INSURANCE RECORD FOR THE HOUSE, DATED THE 1ST OF FEBRUARY IN 1886, DESCRIBED A SIX-ROOM DWELLING WITH A KITCHEN PANTRY, BATHROOM AND TWO CLOSETS, THE PORTICO AND BAY WINDOW ON THE MAIN ELEVATION, SLENDER TWO BAY ENTRANCE WERE ALSO NOTED ON THE PROPERTY RECORD, AS WERE FOUR PORCHES, ONE DOUBLE GALLERY AND TWO SINGLE PORCHES LOCATED IN THE EAST END NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL HEAR THIS REQUEST AT THE OCTOBER 3RD MEETING, AND CITY COUNCIL HAS A FINAL DECISION REGARDING REQUEST FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATIONS AND THIS WILL BE HEARD AT THEIR REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 26TH.
AND WE HAVE SOME PICTURES. OH, AND STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL.
OKAY, THIS IS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST AND TO THE WEST.
AND THAT CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NO. THERE WE GO.
I CAN SEE THEM NOW. OKAY, LET'S OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CASE 23 LC 043.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE? AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM? HI. YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND SIGN IN, PLEASE.
HI, I'M KATHY TIERNAN AND I LIVE AT 1211 CHURCH.
WE ARE HAPPY FOR YOU TO HAVE THIS CONSIDERATION TODAY.
AND I HAVE TO ADD THAT HER HOUSE WAS THE GREENHOUSE.
SHE RAISED HER TWO BOYS NEXT DOOR TO US FOR 20 YEARS BEFORE THE STORM MADE HER HAVE TO MOVE.
SO, IKE, SHE HAD TO LEAVE AFTER IKE.
SO, SHE WAS OUR NEIGHBOR FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
DO ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? NO. OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NOBODY, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR A MOTION FROM THE COMMISSION.
SURE, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE.
CASE 23 LC 043 PER APPROVAL WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
OKAY. WE CAN VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
THAT'S IT, RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY. ANYTHING THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING ON OCTOBER 16TH.
418 IN THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.